The town of North Auburn, formerly Sheridan, is located on the southeast quarter of Section 16, Town 5, Range 14, on high, rolling prairie land, the situation being particularly favorable in a sanitary aspect. The Little Nemaha River affords it the best of water-power for manufacturing purposes, and a branch of the Missouri Pacific road, extending from Atchison, Kan., to Omaha, Neb., offers ample commercial facilites.

The town was surveyed October 19, 1868 for the proprietors, A. P. and Laura Cogswell, and A. W. and O. A. Morgan, by W. F. Wright, surveyor. Its name was given it in honor of Gen. Phil H. Sheridan, of the United States Army.

The first building was erected during the same month that the survey was made, and one year later Wesley Dundas opened the first stock of general merchandise in the building still occupied by him, being also in October elected Justice of the Peace. In November following, a post office was established, with Wesley Dundas as Postmaster, an incumbency which he yet retains. The first child born was Delphene Dundas, daughter of Wesley Dundas, who arrived upon the scene of action January 21, 1871. The first death was that of Mary Alice Hall, occurring in the fall of 1873. The first marriage took place in February, 1874, uniting Walter Parker and Jane Long. The first physician to settle here was Dr. A. Opperman, a graduate of Heidelberg, who opened an office in May, 1871, placing on sale at the same time a stock of drugs, which he closed out before the end of the year. In September, 1874, Wesley Dundas established a grocery store, still continuing his other business, disposing of the same to W. T. Reed, the present proprietor, in July, 1875. In the fall of 1876, a stock of general merchandise was placed on sale by A. H. Gilmore, who disposed of part of his stock to Dundas, and part of it to Reed, in March, 1877, himself retiring from business.

On February 4, 1882, the Missouri Pacific Railroad was completed to Sheridan, the town having purchased for it the right of way through the precinct, issuing bonds for that purpose to the amount of $4,000. Even prior to this event, the place had taken a new start, after a cessation of growth lasting some years. Immediately upon the entry of the road, however, new capital began to come in, and new settlers to appear upon the streets; building was commenced and pushed rapidly, the result being that, during the spring of 1882, a large brick block was erected by Robert Hawke and George W. Shroat, both of Nebraska City, and no less than eleven frame blocks and buildings for business purposes, together with fourteen new residences, were built.

The town has as yet no manufactories, what are called the Sheridan Mills, built by George Homewood, being located one and a half miles from town, on the Little Nemaha River. These mills have three run of stone. It has, however, four general stores, one clothing and two grocery stores, two hardware stores, one lumber yard, opened in February, 1882; one livery stable, and minor business establishments to its needs.

It now, with its additions, comprises 640 acres, there being in addition to the original site of 160 acres the Howe & Nixon Addition on the east, the Howe & Nixon Addition north of this, the Howe, Nixon & Willson and Reed & Gilmore Additions, each of eighty acres, to the north of the old town. This last extension unites the two towns of North and South Auburn, the design being to rechristen the two with one name, that of Auburn being the one selected by the citizens securing to the result of the union the county sent. The first part of this design will undoubtedly soon be consummated, the latter part left to the decision of a county vote.

Prior to the year 1874, this town was part of the Methodist Circuit, embracing nearly the whole of Nemaha County, and enjoying services at irregular intervals. At this time a church organization was effected, mainly through the efforts of Rev. Hiram P. Birch, who was the first regular minister. In 1878, a church structure was erected at a cost of $1,500. The pastors of the society, since Rev. Mr. Birch; have been as follows: W. S. Blackburn, H. Presson, W. H. Tibbitts, J. R. Reed, I. W. Swan, the last mentioned being in charge at the time of writing. The Sunday school in connection with the church was instituted early in the history of the society, and is now in a flourishing condition under the superintendency of V. V. Morrison.

The United Baptist people organized a society in the eastern part of Douglas Precinct about 1874, erecting a small frame church building, which they practically abandoned in 1876, at which time they transferred their base of operations to Sheridan, dropping the name of United, and retaining simply the latter part of their cognomen. Since this time, the society has had two pastors, Rev. Messrs. Freeman and Keeler, the latter of whom abandoned the charge in the summer of 1880. There has been no regular preaching since, occasional services being held, however, in the Methodist building.

The first school was taught by E. E. Savage, November, 1874; the attention has never been paid to education, in this town, which it demands, as has been acknowledged by her best citizens, the school in a manner being without any responsible management during most of the time. During the school year of 1880-81, the school was in charge of Mr. and Mrs. John Winters, since which time there has been no regular session, May Crandall teaching a private class, in lieu of the more pretentious methods and means of free education.

I. O. G. T., Sheridan Lodge, No 162.--The charter for the institution of this lodge was granted March 15, 1877; the original membership was nineteen, and the first officers as follows: W. C. T., Edward Juel; W. V. T., E. Hargan; W. Chap., J. B. Piper; W. R. S., C. D. Dundas; W. F. S., T. A. Currans; Treasurer, J. A. Gile; P. W. C. T., W. T. Reed The officers for the quarter ending April 1, 1882, are: W. C. T., John Maxwell; W. V. T., Mrs. James Armstrong; W. Chaplain, D. S. Hacker; W. R. S., C. L. White; P. W. C. T., C. L. White. The membership at present numbers 103.

I. O. O. F., Mayflower Lodge, No. 76, was instituted with ten charter members, and the following officers, September 2, 1879: N. G., David Morris; V. G., F. P. Tenney; R. S., Hugh Gohene; P. S., John Maxwell; Treasurer, John Wirick. The present officers are: N. G., Eli Wood; V. G., James Brown; R. S., Henry Wert; P. S., Henry Hoyt; Treasurer, James Cowell. The present membership is forty-five.

The Sheridan Post was established in April, 1879, by F. B. Tiffany, who soon afterward transferred the proprietorship to H. R. Peery, subsequent changes placing it in the hands of Tenny & Peery, Peery & Ewan, A. E. & E. T. Ewan, Al. E Ewan, Rush O. Fellows, who first assumed control September, 24, 1880, Fellows & Taggart, and again Rush O. Fellows, the present editor and owner. The Post is an ably conducted five-column quarto, Republican in politics.

The first hotel was the Sheridan House, opened in 1876, by P. D. Wheedon, who retains the ownership of the building, though the management has been in control of various parties, William H. Stevenson being the present landlord. Early in its history the name of the hotel was changed to that of the Central, and finally to the Missouri Pacific.

The Grand Central was opened in the fall of 1881, by Lars Peterson, and is under the present management of J. Skillman.

The town of South Auburn, formerly Calvert, is located on Sections 27 and 28, Township 5, Range 14, situated on the Burlington & Missouri Railroad, eleven miles from Brownville via wagon road, or fifteen by way of Nemaha City. The sections designated were originally owned by J. L. Smith, J. B. Piper, J. Maxwell and G. R. Reynolds, being purchased by the Lincoln Town Site Company in the early part of 1881, platted July 1, and named in honor of Hon. T. E. Calvert, of the railroad corporation, to which, primarily, it owes its existence. The first settler was J. N. Brust, who, some time prior to its survey, erected a small frame house, near the present depot building, in which he placed a stock of groceries in July, 1881; subsequently, closed out. In June of the same year, the Chicago Lumber Company put up a small building, now used as a dwelling, a lumber yard being established under charge of George D. Cross, who, during the first six months, disposed of 100 cars of lumber, a large part of which was conveyed from Brownville by wagons. Later in the same month, a second lumber yard was opened by J. W. Kerns; and on July 14, the first number of the Calvert Courier appeared, from which time the progress of the new town has been rapid.

The first child born in Calvert was a boy, the son of George Bool, born in January, 1882, a few days prior to the birth of a child to C. G. Erwin. At the time of writing, no deaths have occurred.

Calvert was made a post office November 21, 1881, under charge of G. W. Fairbrother, Jr. The Burlington & Missouri Railroad commenced running trains to Calvert, for some months the terminus of the branch from Lincoln to Tecumseh, by way of Nemaha City, in September, 1881. On the 22d of the same month occurred what is known as the great storm, a gale of wind lifting Kite's new building, 24x40 feet, clear from its foundations, throwing it against Dillon, Croan & Co.'s drug store, where it went to pieces. A large frame storeroom of George Fablinger's, 24x80 feet in size, was blown to pieces. F. W. Samuelson's 24x80-feet building was wrenched to the north, ten inches out of plumb; Salsbury's frame block, 72x80 feet in size, was bent in six inches on the south side, and Swartz' livery stable blown over.

South Auburn, in March, 1882, is in a very flourishing condition, a fair example of what energy can accomplish in a short time. The town has now a grain elevator, with a capacity for 33,000 bushels, built in January, 1882, at a cost of $1,800, by Linn & Coover, three general stores, two drug stores, one grocery and furniture store, three livery stables, two lumber yards, one hardware store and a full complement of blacksmith, paint, barber and butcher shops. Her hotels are good, her press energetic and her future bright.

St. Joseph's Church was the first religious organization effected. It was instituted very early in the history of the town with a membership of five. A parsonage was erected during the fall of 1881, at a cost of $1,600, and the foundation of a commodious church building laid in the spring of 1882. The entire cost of the completed structure being estimated at $3,000. The membership in March, 1882, was twenty-one, under charge of the Rev. Father J. B. Fitzgerald, who has had spiritual control from the first.

The Presbyterian Church of Calvert was organized in December, 1881, with a membership of sixteen, by the Rev. George Little. No accessions had been made to March, 1882, the society depending during the interim upon irregular supplies, and worshiping in Samuelson's Hall.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church was organized through the efforts of Rev. Thomas Lyell, on February 12,1882, the original and present memberships being thirteen. Since its institution, services have been held on alternate Sundays in Samuelson's Hall.

Calvert Lodge, No. 248, I. O. G. T., was organized in December, 1881 with the following list of officers, in which no change has been made at the time of writing: W. C., E. D. Wert; W. V., Mrs. H. Johnson; Secretary, D. J. Wood; (?). S., Mrs. E. D. Wert, Treasurer, Mrs. J. Fowler. The present membership is twenty-three.

Calvert Dramatic Association.--This society was organized during the winter, its first appearance being made February 14, 1882, in "The Flower of the Family." Its officers are: G. W. Fairbrother, Jr., President; A. L. Fulton, Manager; J. D. Croan, Treasurer.

Calvert Library Association, is a new institution with the following officers: H. J. F. Wert, President; A. Dillon, Vice President; J. D. Croan, Treasurer; D. J. Wood, Librarian. The design is to establish a library for the use of members, a nucleus of which has been already formed.

On July 14, 1881, the first number of the Calvert Courier appeared, under the proprietorship and editorial control of G. W. Fairbrother, Jr. Its publication as a six-column quarto was continued until February 23, 1882, when the Brownville Advertiser was removed from its former location, its name being changed to that of the Calvert Advertiser, and a co-partnership formed between G. W. Fairbrother, Sr., and G. W. Fairbrother, Jr., and B. F. Sanders, an agreement being made that the publication of the Advertiser was to be continued in place of the Courier. The present sheet is a five-column quarto, Republican in politics and ably managed.

The Nemaha County Bank of F. W. Samuelson, was established September 15, 1881, with D. J. Wood as Cashier. Its cash deposits during the first six months of its existence were $25,000.

The first hotel in Calvert was the Grand Central, opened in July 1881, by Stephen Dodson, and closed four months later.

The Holdredge House was opened to the public February 6, 1882 by Ted. Huddart. It is a fine, two-story frame structure, erected by the Lincoln Town Site Company, at a cost of $6,000. The Paris House is under the charge of Arthur Paris.